Ma Griffe Eau de Parfum (Vintage)

The venerable Ma Griffe was launched in 1946, just after the conclusion of World War ll. From the Carven website: “Mrs. Carven created in 1946 a fresh, dashing, very flowery fragrance while remaining classic with a touch of haute couture. Its name imposed itself quite naturally. It would bear the name of Madame Carven's signature dress of simple green and white striped cotton: Ma Griffe. A legendary fragrance inspired by Madame Carven's favorite flowers: Gardenia, Jasmine, and Rose.” The name means both “my signature” and “my claw.” (I was here- and I will be remembered.) Ma Griffe was created with the optimism of the future in mind. It heralded the coming era of post-War prosperity. Ma Griffe was marketed to a youthful demographic, to the young woman who could now put the challenges of the past behind her. It was time at last for her to celebrate her youth. I was a bit surprised to learn this, as Ma Griffe had never struck me as a “youthful” scent. When I think of a fragrance aimed at a younger demographic, something sweet and gourmand usually comes to mind. (Although anyone of course, of any age, can wear whatever fragrance they wish to.) This “surprise” is, of course, influenced by my coming of age in an era in which gourmands were beginning their ascent. Were I in my teens in 1947, my perception of what a “youthful” fragrance might be would be different, no doubt. To the modern nose, Ma Griffe can be a bit of a challenge to get to know. Ma Griffe's scent structure seems to echo the era of its origins. First the dark clouds of the War, of loss, of austerity (asafoetida, oakmoss.) Then, the clouds part, and the way into the magical garden of the Future shines invitingly before you (fresh greens, white florals, inviting lemon.) Ma Griffe is certainly not a gourmand, though it does exhibit a sublime sweetness in its middle phase. It is classified as a chypre floral, and is a complex (in a good way) fragrance. It begins with an earthy, herbal blast that seems to say “Go ahead- just try to like me." This off-putting phase does not last. Do not let the opening deter you from experiencing this amazing scent. After the darkness passes, Ma Griffe's brighter aspects unfold. It transforms into a lovely, green, sweet, lemon/sage/white floral something, sparkly and fresh. (Some people smell cinnamon. I have never detected a cinnamon note in Ma Griffe, although during the multi-nuanced dry-down, there is a powdery aspect that does have a touch of mysterious spiciness.) I love every stage of Ma Griffe after the asafoetida has exited, but especially its longest manifestation, which is the green sparkly citrus-ness. It’s very uplifting. Ma Griffe calls up a memory of a little lemon tree we had in our back yard. It was scrawny, and always looked a bit moribund. But it never failed to produce the best lemons, and, even more delightfully, in Spring it boasted a deluge of the most heavenly lemon meringue pie scented flowers. I remember standing in awe of this funny little tree, all alone in its container, spellbound by the impossibly lush aroma of the new white blossoms that had sprung from its spindly, dark twigs. Ma Griffe’s long lasting dry-down is like a walk in a garden in Spring, after a morning rain. Green things are glistening with new growth. Unfurling blossoms beckon you. The air is fresh and bright with herbs. Rose, jasmine, and gardenia glow gently within the chorus of green and citrus. There is a touch of powdery orris root, and all is anchored by the earthiness of the resins and a whiff of oakmoss and vetiver. Ma Griffe smells like the earth under your feet, like the clean brisk wind from a garden hidden among the City buildings. It smells sophisticated- it smells like the future. Traditional ingredients have been combined here in a new way. Every time I apply Ma Griffe, I somehow discover a new facet of it. You will feel absolutely unique, and timeless, when you wear this fragrance. I never would have thought I would end up loving Ma Griffe so. It was my mother's signature "going out" fragrance. Sometimes when I spray it, I can hear her high heels on the hardwood floors, and see her touching up her Fire and Ice lipstick. A spritz of Ma Griffe, and she was ready to go Out. As a kid, I didn't care for Ma Griffe. It was too weird. My mother's every day fragrance was Woodhue by Faberge, and I loved when she wore that, as it was soft and sweet. I used to sneak a bit of Woodhue on my wrists when she wasn't around, but never touched the Ma Griffe. Woodhue is almost impossible to find these days, but some years ago, in honor of my mother, I purchased a small bottle of vintage Ma Griffe (I have not tried the new formula, but I would like to.) I sprayed it. Then- I put it in the refrigerator. I think I just wasn't ready for it. After years of gourmands- which I still love, and wear- I thought I would give Ma Griffe another try. And, to my surprise, I fell head over heels for this strange, modern/vintage, complicated scent. When I get a whiff of it throughout the day, I am filled with a sense of optimism. It’s easy to see why this fragrance was formulated to be the scent of a new era of hope and progress, of belief in a future of what was now possible after the dark clouds of the Depression and World War ll had finally dispersed. I will never be without this singular and mesmerizing perfume. It’s wonderful in hot, sticky weather, and makes you feel like you’ve just put on a freshly laundered, crisp white blouse. Ma Griffe is a true classic. It makes me feel sophisticated, yet playful. Give it a try, and experience for yourself the intriguing echoes of the glamour of a bygone age in a scent that seems ageless.

I had a gamble on an eBay auction. I thought it was an ordinary mini EDT or EDP. Turns out its a vintage "Pure Parfum" - Lucky !! It was also another eBay bargain at £3.50 including PnP. (i love it when i get a bargain!). The two words that best describe this perfume for me , are "Green Powder" ! Id prefer it if the Green notes were more prominent, and it was less powdery. I still like it though. Reading through this review page ,it seems that the different versions over the years vary a lot in quality and smell. Ive tried a tester vial of the modern EDT and its brighter , fresher and less powdery. Ive seen a lot of reviews all over the web , that slate this perfume as "old Fashioned".It does remind me of "Old School" style talcum powders that the older generation use heavily. Ma Griffe is so different to the majority of whats on the perfume shelves in 2012 , that i think it may just be too austere ,too bitter and maybe too eccentric for the young consumer . I just don't think they would "get " what Ma griffe is about. In contrast to the mainstream perfume trends , Ma griffe is devoid of ANY sweetness , and is quite bitter and harsh. It screams the coulour GREEN , the packaging n advertising is a perfect fit for the smell. When its settles down , its a green powder bomb. PS - I read on another site that the edition that was brought out in 2007 is the one that's been slated as "bad quality" in reviews. Apparently Carven listened to its customers and have re-issued it again , in a reformulation that's better quality and closer to the original. :)Below is a quote from carven reps - ..............."Carven has had new owners since July 2008 and the proprietors want to go back to the roots of the historic label. They are planning to release an authentic version of Ma Griffe -- which is in dire need of it as it has been undone by blotchy reformulations lately -- as well as Eau Vive which will be released as an unisex scent.".......... ( Wouldn't it be great if more perfume houses took this approach! )

It's interesting to me, how long the comment threads are for these older, classic vintage scents---so, of course, I have a long story about Ma Griffe, too. When I was a theater student in the early 1970's at the Pittburgh Playhouse, I was cast in an Equity mainstage production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"--I played a Scottish schoolgirl and had 2 lines in the play. The young woman who played the supporting female lead, Sandy, part of Miss Brodie's gang of favorites, "The Brodie Set" and the one who betrays Jean twice during the play, had a large splash bottle of Ma Griffe EDT that she would splash on during rehearsals. The fragrance smelled like the essence of French to me--meaning what a stylish,elegant, effortlessly fashionable and cosmopolitan French woman would smell like. I was fascinated by it and confused about whether the actress used that scent as herself or as the character of Sandy. It did not strike me as a scent that 16 yr old Sandy would wear, mature and wise and cruel beyond her years as she was---but rather as the perfect scent for Jean Brodie herself--flamboyant, charismatic, self-dramatizing and aggressively, toxic-ally, narcissistic--the kind of scent that announces itself as it enters the room and lingers in the air when the woman who wears it, leaves, like a persistent memory of her. I always thought "Ma Griff" translated into "My Signature" in English, but, as others have pointed out, it could also translate into "My Claw"-- which also makes it the perfect scent for Miss Jean Brodie, whose signature line about herself is : "Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life." I never asked the actress about her perfume choice and how she chose to use it, but I went out and bought a bottle for myself and I still have some of that 1970's EDT --and it always makes me think of that play and the character of Jean--not Sandy. Maybe Sandy would have worn it in imitation of Jean---and then threw it away after she turned on her? I guess I'll never know!

I had an amazing opportunity to test both, Pure Perfume and Eau de Perfume versions of MA GRIFFE. They both share the same theme but they are definitely not the same. I have to say that I absolutely and deeply in love with both versions. The EDP is like a walk outside on a spring morning. It is green, fresh and beautiful. The EDP appears much lighter, less complex and a bit sharper and greener than the PURE PERFUME. The PURE PERFUME is like a sultry summer night. It is deep, rich and opulent. The PURE PERFUME is very smooth and incredibly complex but it still retains this “green” quality. The EDP opening is lemony fresh with green notes and just a touch of aldehydes. The heart notes are mostly ylang-ylang, orange blossom and iris. The composition remains to stay beautiful and light. The oakmoss, vetiver and resins are prominent in the dry down. The PURE PARFUME opening is rich and opulent. The aldehydes are much more present than in EDP. I also feel a touch of asoefetida. This is a strong combo but it remains very smooth and creamy. The heart notes are stunning with jasmine, ylang-ylang and rose. The composition remains to stay within the green zone but without the sharpness of EDP. The dry down has woody notes with noticeable cinnamon, resins and benzoin notes. There is a bit of honey like sweetness in the PURE PARFUME that I do not detect at all in EDP. EDP version is like a light beautiful tune played on the piano. PURE PARFUME is like the same tune but played by a big orchestra. MA GRIFFE Pure Perfume is my mom’s signature scent. I am so happy that I followed her advice and tried both versions. If I was asked which one is my favorite, I would pick the pure perfume for its complexity and smooth velvet like finish. This was definitely one of the best purchases I made recently. I am so glad that I finally found the fragrances from Chypre Floral group that I love.

I received a decant of this vintage scent from one of my fave swap mates (thx, D!), and I was sort of surprised and then blown away by how lovely this is, especially since it is so very green and bitter for the first half hour or so! This is all about the middle and dry down for me. While the bitter greenness is detectable throughout, it takes a backseat after the opening. It provides both an anchor and a contrast to the balsamic, floral sweetness. I just love it, but if I only based it on the top notes and initial impression, it could have easy been a dislike! The moral of the story is to wait and resist the urge to scrub off a scent just because of your first impression. You never know what delights you might miss out on, especially when it comes to vintage and niche. Now off to Ebay to find a bottle! PS - wondering how Chanel No. 19 Poudre compares to this, if there are any similarities. I guess I need a decant to see for myself! PSS - That didn't take long! Bid on an unopened bottle of extrait dating back to the '70s and won. How this will compare to the EDP remains to be seen, but nevertheless, I'm happy to have her in the "family"! EDIT 4/1/2019 I received my bottle of vintage extrait today. Though sealed, there was some evaporation and the top notes are less prominent. What is left is a beautiful, smooth floral balsamic that is rich and sophisticated. I smell the gardenia and ylang, both tempered by benzoin and sandal, and though there is no giant aldehydic and green explosion at the start as is the case with the EDP, the greenness is still present in the background, preventing this from being just another floral chypre. Sillage is close to the skin, as is often the case with dab on extracts. Longevity TBD, but it's old school, so I am anticipating it to be average at the very least. I am really happy to have this one in my collection!

The version I have is pictured here, from the 2000s, and out of what I sampled, this seems to be the one I am most inclined to envelop myself with. To weed out those who will not enjoy a classic such as Ma Griffe, I will leave these adjectives: sharp, sour, bitter, soapy, imposing, devil's dung. Now that I got out of the way, for those who are still reading on, you may ask, "devil's dung? should I be reading on?" Devil's dung is a nickname for the notorious asafoetida, which has been featured in traces to extend and lift galbanum in sharp-yellow-green chypres (see also Vent Vert, Ivoire de Balmain). It comes from the rhizome of the plants of the ferula family with a penetrating, pungent smell (hence the moniker). When used in cooking, it smooths into a savory, delicious, leek-like flavor and is often used in South Asian cooking. In Ma Griffe, even in the version I have in my possession, it is most noticeable, animating the vegetal verdance of its opening and harnessing the florals. Ma Griffe's sharp, feisty verve is also courtesy of styrallyl acetate, chosen by master perfumer Jean Carles to be the scaffolding for the foliage and flowers, particularly gardenia. Aldehydes further elevate it all, making for a fresh, if not necessarily soft experience. In the version in my possession, the top notes are intact, along with the overall integrity of this classic. It is eminently wearable in all of its assertiveness, and when it settles into a warmer, merciful styrax-leather with cinnamon and mossy green woodiness. It's a fragrance steeped with history, with a lovely tribute of it in Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents and Barbara Herman's Scent & Subversion, along with many great anecdotes and memories of it to be read online.

(parfum de toilette) I'm starting to get to know chypres. My experience with Ma Griffe shows that if you don't feel comfortable with a whole fragrance group, you just haven't found your perfume in it. I wasn't sure about chypres as a whole group and then I found Ma Griffe. (Thanks Kterhark for the introducing us to each other!) Ma Griffe starts with a localized explosion of aldehydes and greens with slight hint of lemons. Definitely green, pretty soapy and very much in your face. Like your rival showing up for a party with a hairdo like yours but better done. And wearing the same perfume, too. An aaahhh, an immediate punch in the nose, quick move, 180 degree turn, instant change. I understand why this can be getting home after work fragrance. This stage lasts on me less then 10 minutes, perhaps about 5, and I affectionately call it... no, I am too embarrassed, please, lean closer, I'll whisper... I call it "a green stinker" for these minutes. Then it mellows out on me and becomes a combination of smells that cannot be experienced together. On the one hand, I feel myself lying on a lot of green grass in the forest, in the heat, tearing the blades, rubbing them against my hands together with the delicate and dangerous flowers of lily of the valley. At the same time, I smell something like steaming milk. How can that happen to be in the same place? This puzzles my mind for about an hour, and then we're on to drydown. It's a sparkling green tarragon soda from my childhood, it's a light green soap made into a shape of cinnamon roll (and with a cinnamon flavor). It's whimsical and comforting at the same time. I'm at home with maverick and I like Ma Griffe.

Carven Ma Griffe is a remarkable chypre on the dark green bitter side of the genre. There are white floral notes but they take a back seat to an aldehydic green scent with some animalic note that I can't put my finger on (it might be asafoetida, a very unusual note in perfume - to me ground asafoetida smells like fresh ground mustard seed mixed with cooked garlic and a morsel of rotting flesh). The notes are fairly linear for quite some time before they slowly give way to a classic oakmoss and vetiver base. This is what I imagine bad girls and aggressive professional women from the late 40's and the 50's might have worn. The name translates as "My Claw" as you can see from the publicity shot, and it is perfect for this unpretty juice (bold and handsome yes, pretty no). The bottle is classy and I love the way the striped box evokes raking claw marks, but done in green to reflect the perfume notes. I see that some others describe this as soft and feminine which is totally at odds with what I smell. To me it smells big, waxy, green, almost bitter. I don't know how to explain this difference in perception, but it is clear that that the Carven folks smell what I smell (the name, the ad images). For the perfect description of the appeal of scents like Ma Griffe, search for Meaning of Ma Griffe on the web (olfactorama blogspot). A lovely slice-of-life vignette for an amazing perfume.

I met Ma Griffe in 1970 when I found an eau de toilette version on sale at Christmastime at a price I could afford. I had no idea it was really a high-dollar scent (if I'm not mistaken $148/ounce and comedienne Phyllis Diller's favorite scent). I loved it because it was a soft scent with a kick. Back then everyone was wearing Avon. You had to think outside the box if you didn't want to smell like everyone else. Ma Griffe did that for me. People would stop and ask me what I was wearing. When it became hard to find, I carried a small vial around with me for years to remind myself how much I loved it. My Aunt found some at the closing of a store in NY and sent it to me so I was able to get by a few more years with the good stuff! I recognized the years I purchased most of the different bottles shapes, which helps! The reformulations changed it into a sharper scent that I wasn't wild about and my husband hated. I've found vintage pre-1970 bottles that gave me an idea what the original scent smelled like and it wasn't sharp. Today, by accident because someone didn't know, I received the newest bottle that the woman had posted as vintage on eb*y. It wasn't vintage (it's the bottle pictured above) but it sure smells similar to the older formulation! I liked it very much! There is no sharp after tones - just sweet, soft and romantic! Still crazy about it after all these years!!

I have 1/2oz of this in very vintage extrait. I am a chypre connoisseur, and this is right at the top of my list along with Mitsouko, Private Collection, Eau Sauvage, and Z14. This must have been destroyed in a reformulation to have reviews like this; I haven't smelled the new version to compare. I can, however, talk about my particular bottle that I bought recently, still in its original plastic wrapping. Ma Griffe opens citrusy and green, like you would expect it to, with a sweetness provided by the gardenia. The citrus starts to wane, and the salty, sulfurous asafoetida note brings the gardenia into a pretty avant-garde territory. At the same time, but independently, the most beautiful natural cinnamon and iris accord is pushed up into the foreground by the bitter, inky chypre base. This is all glued together by a delicate floral middle and the presentation is just stunning. As time goes on, the vetiver and florals become a bit more prominent, echoing a bit Dior's trademark sour chypre bases. Hours later, you're treated to a gorgeous but extremely feminine musk. It smells like warm skin, and it's done very well. Longevity is great, though projection ceases fairly early on. Ma Griffe, in its vintage form, at least, is a stunning example of a soft, floral chypre. Lovely through and through.

This is a magical perfume. I have yet to smell a fragrance where the oakmoss is more prominent yet so gentle - almost hidden. It's as if the oakmoss stumbled in a on his siter's sleepover and all the girls want to playfully hit him with their pillow. Every time I think I am zeroing in on the purity of the oakmoss something else grabs my attention. I get vetiver and some aldehyde mid way in - but there is only enough of the aldehyde to make the oakmoss and vetiver hum - which is about the same time the musk begins to make it's presence know. In the drydown I begin to notice a honey/bees wax scent dancing with a hint of laudanum and of course the oakmoss. I also get some faint bezoin which softens it all just a touch. I don't know which florals are in this because they are so well hidden it is always changing - sometimes I'm smelling orange blossom then other times I smell iris - a bit of rose - sometimes it's just the impression of a flower. The fragrance I smell an hour or so after spraying is so different and so much softer and beautiful than the first hour. This fragrance gets warmer as time goes by everything seems to fuse together like melting, dripping wax. This scent is all about the magic of oakmoss. Such a SOFT OAKMOSS hidden in plain sight!!! BTW I sampled the vintage version.

Carven MA GRIFFE is one of the most exciting perfumes I've encountered in quite some time. I am grateful to all of the Fragranticistas who praised this worthy creation to the high heavens, since on their recommendation I bought a gift set online and am thoroughly delighted! MA GRIFFE is totally green and utterly unique. MA GRIFFE is a huge pile of freshly cut grass clippings under a bright blue sky. MA GRIFFE is a vast expanse of glistening green rice paddies in rural Japan with not another soul anywhere in sight. This may be what I wanted CABOTINE to be, though unfortunately it never measured up to my dream: clean, green, briskly aldehydic, white floral pristine perfection...and also chypre! MA GRIFFE effects an immediate change in perspective but without numbing the mind. To spritz on MA GRIFFE is to step outside of Plato's Cave and stare directly at the incandescent sun. I may sound like some sort of religious zealot, but MA GRIFFE simply further confirms my longstanding belief in survival of the fittest when it comes to matters of value. There's a reason why this extraordinary creation still exists and has no even close competitors. In the perfume jungle red in tooth and claw, MA GRIFFE has managed to hold her own, to retain the claim she staked so long ago.

Ma Griffe is a sorrowfully optimistic scent. It seems to know that despite its pure white floral heart it is destined to lead a cold life. It makes a fair fist of a bright opening all aledhyde and aromatic, then transforms effortlessly into a clean and becoming bouquet of freeze dried flowers. Though somehow these notes of gardenia, iris, orange blossom, jasmine, muguet and rose are too brittle. One senses they would break if touched. It is this fragility, as if the whole fragrance’s slight composition where stretched out to too tight over an oakmoss structure too big and forceful for it, that is the scent’s haunting charm. If it were not for a slight powdery sweetness that arrives midway through, this perfume would be the very epitome of sparseness. As it is Ma Griffe is entirely sympathetic and strangely attractive in a solitary way. It should be noted that loneliness afflicts both men and women equally, this being the appropriate accompaniment for such an unfortunate emotion I see no reason why all should not feel free to use it. An extended version of this review is available on my website - which you can access from my profile page.

Sweet, sweet summertime An old friend from way back! I wore this in the 70s and recently acquired another bottle; I'm so happy to rediscover it once again. This is green lushness in liquid form. The opening is big and brash, very sharp aldehydes and citrus, with a touch of sourness that I can't quite place but I have to guess that it's the asofoetida. (I prepare quite a bit of Indian food, and this spice, in it's raw state, is very pungent!) If it stayed this sharp-edged, I would have to scrub it off immediately; happily, the middle notes come on softly and the fragrance opens into a wholly new creation, rounded, lovely, gently sweet but not cloying. The drydown is a chypre lover's dream, with oakmoss, labdanum, and sandalwood prominent. The cinnamon is a wonderful touch--nice to bring a spice back into the mix. Sillage is big, longevity 8+ hours. I've seldom seen such a quality fragrance at such a reasonable price---I don't know how they manage it but I hope they make this scent forever. A perfect summer fragrance, day or night. A great unisex fragrance, too.

When I was 16 or 17 somebody gave me a tiny bottle of Ma Griffe which I loved and treasured. I didn't really know the value, but it stood out among the cheap stuff people tend to give teenagers for their birthdays, and to this day I remembered it, even though I never came across it for decades. I was so excited when I read about it on Fragrantica and could get hold of samples on eBay. I got two 1 ml samples in different packaging which surprisingly smell totally different from each other. The one is exactly the Ma Griffe I loved when I was a teenager, and the other has a cheap, synthetic, sweet smell I can't stand. (fake?) Ma Griffe is a fragrance I feel I can wear even to work here in fragrance-intolerant Japan, because it is so soft and classy - lots of oakmoss softened by citrus and gardenia. I hate the marketing though - I really can't connect that nasty demon-like claw with this beautiful, feminine and classy fragrance.

The perfume has so many notes listed and creates such an interesting combination, many of the notes are not perceptible individually. For sure it is not sweet, as mentioned above, I do not find it so sharp as others do. The old advertisement photos try to give the idea of "pure sex" and "animalistic" tendencies..which seems to be such a contrast for this perfume. The perfume starts out very green and quickly turns into some humid garden of white flowers and or some heavy aura around you, the fragrance feels humid--humid-is the only way I can describe it. Maybe it is the oakmoss, musk, jasmine, ylang ylang combination creating this feeling of heavyness and humidity. It is a heavy perfume if you spray too much, it is a light perfume if you only spray a little. It ́s quite different from all in my collection, and I must say that I do not always enjoy it, but, I do like, appreciate, and admire it.

@alphaireone wrote a perfect review for this, the vintage formula...can't say it much better than that. I'm a slut for rhizomes lately! To my nose this perfume is salty sweet, it feels like sucking on one of those salty licorices or like biting into those Indian caraway candies. Not in note just feeling. One of the things I love most about this scent and many other chypres is the way it frames the oakmoss, which smells milder and fresher on the way in and then sweeter and spicier on the way out of my nostrils if that makes sense...almost skanky maybe the heat of my breath does that...but it leaves my throat feeling refreshed almost mentholated. It's a quality unique to vintages so I do attribute it to the oakmoss although I'm not certain tbh! Not to trigger anyone, but it pairs nicely with Bath and Body Works Into the Night lotion, or Lattafa Angham 😜

I must be incredibly lucky, because I found a vintage bottle on Poshmark, 1/8 full, and I blind-bought it because I've always wanted to try Ma Griffe. I adore Kim Novak and read that this was her signature scent back in her film days. The person who sold this bottle had to have stored it in a cool, dark place, because there seems to be none of the deterioration that many reviewers complain about -- no sour tones, no heaviness, and nothing reminiscent of the 1950s or 60s. This scent holds its own, and I wish it would come back just as it it is in my bottle. It's light, lovely, mysterious, slightly aldehyde-forward, and unusual enough that it doesn't really smell like anything else. One of a kind fragrance. I will be sorry when it's gone, but it's here to enjoy, so wear it I will!

I've just been given this by my friend's aunt, a lovely lady who knows I like perfume. I'd never heard of it and tried it on with trepidation, having read some pretty negative reviews here. Honestly, I'm delighted. The greenness wasn't anywhere near as sharp and astringent as I'd expected. I was surprised by how soft it was, including the sillage. My first impression was of a complex, glamorous floral – gardenia and aldehydes, with a spicy undertone. I can't smell any of the unpleasant things others notice. Too often I think we wear perfume for others, hoping to be noticed, or to be desired. But this strikes me as a perfume for a self-possessed woman: something you wear just for your own delight. I'm so impressed that Auntie Helen guessed I would like it – I really do!

I scored a mini sample splash of this, obviously vintage, but how old I can't say. Maybe seventies or sixties. I have read all the reviews with great interest and must say it's a really interesting fragrance, so little like the "sweeties" of the present day. And I welcome that. It really isn't like anything I've ever smelled before. I get a lot of earthiness It makes me feel a bit reflective and melancholy, but that's not a bad thing - there are days to give in to those feelings. A bit of a time machine. I feel like I've smelled this before but can't say where. Not from anyone in my family. I'll wear it. Those in sniffing distance may not like it. But I feel there are certain days that I'll wear it regardless. No candy, no sweet flowers, no fruit. Outstanding.

I have known Ma Griffe since childhood. It's a scent that works best in very hot, humid climates as it has a tremendous cooling effect. I loved it when I lived in Africa but on buying it again in London, it just wasn't the same. Partly, the perfume itself had changed and, of course, the British weather is not right for Ma Griffe. I know it is a top favourite of many high-profile women in India. It used to be quite inexpensive but has recently taken a price hike -- not sure why! Additional Note: BEWARE of Ma Griffe dating from the 1990s to about 2005. (That's when it suddenly also became very cheap to buy.) The batches produced thereafter (including these days) smell much better and more like the Ma Griffe of the old days.

What a beautiful fresh, green chypre!!! It is full of aldehydes, green notes and the oakmoss and vetiver gives it this dry, earthy, old skool quality. I can imagine Grace Kelly wearing it and being a spokesperson or ambassador for it. It has 40ies chic written ALL OVER. Think of an early sunny summer's day (late spring really) in Monaco, when Grace Kelly drives up the mountains in a stylish cream convertible with white leather goves and a Hermes silk scarf wrapped around her ...the sharp, still cold wind batters through her hair...but she is ever so stylish regardless the "joie de vivre". I would honestly wear this as well......if only to revive Grace Kelly's holy style ghost! 10/10 for stylish vintage cool!

Ma Griffe was one of the first perfumes I ever owned. A gift from a relative at Christmas, I wore it without knowing if I liked it or not, but I always felt extremely sophisticated and grown up! Many years later I rediscovered the perfume, and have since stocked up with vintage bottles on ebay. I have to say, I haven't as yet been disappointed with any of my bottles, although none of them were probably from the late 1990s. There are very very few green perfumes, and even fewer green perfumes that are not green-tea based. The citronellic notes and rich floralcy expressed within this greenness are simply unique. Hopefully, I'll never have to be without a good bottle of Ma Griffe either!

This is one of the most complex fragrances I've ever encountered. The opening is horrible! It has a witch hazel/astringent smell. Fortunately that quickly gives way to a lovely heart: roses and white flowers,and cool green notes. It is clean, fresh, and dry. What little sweetness Ma Griffe has shows up in the drydown and it is a "candy" sweetness. This little bit of "burnt sugar" mixed with orris root produces a soft, smooth, powdery drydown. Ma Griffe reminds me of Cabotine. They are both cool, dry, green fragrances -- great "go to" perfumes for the long, hot days (and nights) of summer. But Ma Griffe is more subtle, more sophisticated. It is Cabotine grown from a girl into a woman.

I am really enjoying this one. I find it to be a VERY green floral with an incomparable depth. I have the new/old formulation. It is very wearable and I would feel comfortable wearing it in a crowd or in close proximity to someone who is fragrance sensitive. I feel it is on the same level as A SCENT BY ISSEY MIYAKE. A light airy fragrance that a lovely sweet woman would wear. I also think it would be great for someone younger...I seriously take issue with the ad campaign...nails screeching on a mans back?! I don't think so. Anyway, that is my two "scents" worth. Happy Perfuming! PS this is not the longest lasting perfume...you could maybe get four hours?

(parfum de toilette review) I found this quirky gem in an obscure perfume shop at the mall. Never read white oleander, never even read a review of it. Just sniffed, liked, and bought. The opening is like an espresso jolt to me. Love the sharp, green notes. Can't say it's gorgeous, can't say it mysterious, and can't say it's stunning. What I can say it that this has become a scent I wear every other day (so it's a good thing it's a cheapie). I love coming home from work, changing my clothes, and spritzing on some Ma Griffe for an instant change in mood. There is something about this scent that is infectious. It's just plain energizing. Zing!!!

I have a vintage miniature, and the top notes are probably all spoiled. But when you wait just a few minutes, beautiful dryness, along with bitter greens start to emerge. It's surely complex, elegant and undoubtedly timeless. The amount of oakmoss in this vintage formulation is what balances out the overall humid white floral garden atmosphere. So it's a creation of contradiction, the wild untamed nature, versus cold, astringent and dry powdery vibe. It's about a lady, that has everything in her own grasp, for she lives not to please others but she accepts the world as it is, knowing of her power, but remaining humble.

Ma Griffe is most definitely a floral aldehydic chypre, without question. It has the citrus, labdanum and oakmoss requirement of a classic chypre with a musky dry character. In addition to the chypre elements, it has aldehydes and other features as well. And it's gorgeous and far too overlooked it seems. But it is a classic floral aldehydic chypre. Luca Turin calls it a chypre. Books on perfumery list it as a chypre. It is considered to be one of the great green floral chypres. All noses work differently and fragrance is subjective but it has the required notes and character of this specific type of chypre.

This is my mother in a bottle. It was her signature perfume, and now when I wear it I remember her and her stylishness, classiness, intelligence and absolute determination. It is green, green gree, but unlike most greens it has a robustness and staying power and depth and sexiness that defies its first notes. Gosh, could those early perfumers really compose some amazing bombs!!!It is all quenching and cooling, and has some fire despite that! It is definitely a fume for a strong, classy and clever lady who wants to smell feminine. Solid staying power, so it also defies lots of greens in that regard!

I just had to sniff this after reading "White Oleander," in which one of the characters made this her signature scent. I didn't care for it on the first couple of wearings, but after a few more sniffs, I have decided it's one of the loveliest scents. Very green. If the color green has a scent, this is it. No sweetness at all, which is a nice for a change. It's such a shame that classics like this one get lost amongst all the mediocre fruity florals in today's marketplace. This one is worth tracking down.

This is a fragrance I fell in love with at a very young age. My mom, sister and I bought it in Galeries Lafayette, my first time in Paris. It was going to be for all three of us. I ended up wearing it to school. Since that time I love chypre fragrances for work (school in past), they keep me aware, alert, sharp and fresh, just as the perfume. Another chypre that I loved was Cialenga. Nowdays using Balenciaga, and also looking for another chypre, maybe with more citrus on top.

No one could define this perfume better than Madame Carven herself: "an outdoor fragrance without the heavy overtones". This wonder behaves so well in the summer of the Brazilian southeast that was a plague around here in the 60's and 70's. My aunt had a can of Ma Griffe dusting powder in her boudoire when I was a little child and I used to spread that powder all over the room to get involved in the scent. There's something about Alice going down the rabbit hole in this one.

Just received a vintage collection of three little minis of this, what a beautiful scent. I agree, the aldehydes are strong at first, then on me it settles into the beautiful flowers of the middle notes, particularly lily of the valley. This is a lovely, wearable daytime scent for spring/summer, it's fresh and clean and quite lovely. I've also enjoyed reading through all the comments, and agree with most. This one is worth tracking down!

I love this fragrance! On me it's a soft subtle green scent that has a light floral and powder dry down. It's been on my want list for a while but it was a bit expensive to blind buy. I saw it up for bid on ebay and bid low thinking I'll never get it as I bid before on it in the past and stopped bidding when the price got to high. Went to sleep got up and lo and behold I won it! I can't believe I got this fragrance for such a steal!

I am wearing a very vintage Ma Griffe parfum today. I also have a vintage edt and some powder and I use them together. Strong aldehydes give way to a greener powdery fragrance which to me is so comforting and lifting on grey cold days. This perfume is for a person who likes chypres I think. Not for those who only like flowery and fruity fragrances. I feel it brings green and heady outdoors into my being.

Ma Griffe has been among my very favorite scents for 35 years or so, and was my introduction to chypres. I wear it mostly in the winter. One of our high school French teachers, an elegant elderly French lady, explained to me that the name meant "my claw" or "my talon" because it hooked the man and drew him to you, lol. (She didn't say that second part, but merely gestured with her fingers.)

Reminds me of my grand mother who kept a small sample bottle in her bedroom. Very agressive big green cruel dramatic understated oakmoss vetiver chypre. A contradictory masterpiece. Inimitable and truly unique. I own the (safe, mute) Carven le Parfum and like it very much, but she is a bit of a demure, generic smiley girl compared to this gorgeous grown up and uber chique slap in the face.

Received a lovely bottle of vintage Ma Griffe in a swap with a kind Fragrantican. This is the good stuff that I remember from years ago! It is bright and sparkling, and as Ditta70 mentioned below, it changes and is rather capricious! The Clary Sage and the Vetiver are so pure and bright in this beauty. It makes me feel so happy to have this fragrance in my wardrobe again. Thank you, N!

Please track down the pure perfume if you want to try this one. The Eau de Parfum can seem a bit harsh at first, but the dry-down, especially layered over the body cream, is very nice. However, to really "get" the scent, you need to experience the undiluted perfume. It's absolutely lovely, a perfect green chypre, sophisticated and yet fresh. I love it.

also, I do fine the ads a little embarassing: this is not why I wear it, nor do I feel like this when I do. it sometimes seems to me to have a scent of old-fashioned hard Christmas candy, the good kind, especially in winter; I don`t know which ingredient that would be, but perhaps it is association as I love to wear it in winter and on the holidays.

Vintage: I am kind of ashamed to say I have a vintage bottle, from the 70 s, and it still is marvelous. I agree it is green, with a complex mix not found in many these days. Strong. Serious. And I'm going to do more research to find out when this classic was updated. I can't believe I collect so many scents and hang onto them so long. Embarrassing.

Oh DIVINE Ma Griffe!!!! It is a jewel of a perfume. Wonderful. Superb! Supreme!!! I die a thousand deaths every time I wear it. I have three glorious bottles of it, which I have inherited from the ancients in my family line, and feel completely blessed!!! It is so elegant, feminine, strong, oh SO strong...........and beautiful!!!!!

Ma Griffe is a miracle. A combination of notes in a scent like no other. An elegant "dryness" surrounded by a soft garden rose that I have never sensed in any other fragrance. I loved this so much back in the day. A scent so befitting as a signature scent like no other. Hence, the name of it in perfect harmony with the scent.

Mademoiselle Carven loved gardenia, jasmin and rose and she created this wonderful fragrance in 1945. She said "All what I love is green". "Ma Griffe" is fresh, green, soft and sultry. I love it, I made me this gift when I passed my final school test, Ma Griffe was my big motivation to study.

I love this scent - also Miss Dior, the only Dior one I like, and Mitsouko - so elgab89 may be on to something! It's a bit astringent and a bit rich as well - a really good deep subtle balance of fresh green notes and deeper sweet notes in the fragrance. Loved it since I was a small child

Ma Griffe is one of the all time greats. Totally unique and sharp. Not a sweet note to be found. Just to the point, sophisticated, and daring. One of a kind-- could not be mistaken for ANYTHING else. A proud treasure.

I love this perfume. It is a restrained, classy, dry, green scent. I agree with elgab89 about the Ivoire thing. In fact, I layer them together, sometimes with a touch of Fendi to round things out.

I had a bottle of this in college in 1970 and remembeer it as being unique and luscious. I don't usually go for green scents, but this was something special. I wish I had some now.

This is the only thing I can bear to wear during the hottest part of the year. Other scents can come across as cloying in extreme heat, while Ma Griffe stays green and cool.

It was my first French fragrance: the first fragrance I wore as a woman... Many years ago, now: in 1981. I was 26 or 27. I don't think I can find it in Uruguay now.